NaNoWriMo, Week Four

But. It’s not quite time for dancing yet. Because we still have four more days to go.

For some of us, this is TERRIFYING NEWS because we are way behind on our word counts and are feeling the heat of the deadline breathing down our necks.

For others, this is not a big deal. Maybe you’re already at 50,000 words and sailing past that word count goal. Maybe the goal is in sight—you know you’re going to hit 50,000 and are feeling pretty good about yourself.

If you have already hit 50k, SO MANY CONGRATS! Sit back, relax, and have a drink. Maybe a pastry. Because you are a writing rockstar and have written 50,000 words in less than 30 days and deserve a (short) break.

If you’re still writing, YOU CAN FREAKING DO IT.

You’ve got this.

Don’t think about the word count, just write. Write and write and write and write.

And if there’s absolutely no way at all that you’re going to hit 50k, here’s the deal: THAT’S TOTALLY FINE.

What you have spent the last month doing is figuring out how one writes a book. How you write best and how you work best and knowing what does and does not work for you.

Which, really, is more important than the actual book. Once you know the environment and time and way in which you are able to work best, you can go from there. When November is over, you can continue to work toward your goal of writing a book.

Because, and here’s the harsh light of day about NaNoWriMo, 50,000 words does not a book make.

But more on that next week.

This week, let’s focus on what you can get done. We are in the last sprint of this writing marathon. We can see the finish line. The light at the end of the tunnel. The pile of laundry we’ve been neglecting to do because it seems like a distraction from writing.

Instead of being petrified of the deadline, get excited by it.

You’re almost finished.

Don’t give up. Push through to the end. And on November 30th, look at everything that you’ve done, whether that’s 75,000 words or 10,000, and say, I STARTED WRITING A BOOK.

That’s huge and exciting and something a lot of people want to do, but don’t ever do because they think they don’t have the time or the patience or the know-how to do it.

But you have begun doing it. And if you’ve found it delightful and awesome or the worst, most frustrating thing you’ve ever tried, the fact of the matter is you started writing a book.

And that is something to be proud of.

So, Wrimos, best of luck with the last few days. Crush it.

And, American Wrimos, definitely use writing as an excuse to take a break from your family on Thanksgiving. Ain’t no shame in that.